A VIDEO showing a tiger prowling around a suburban neighbourhood in the US went viral this week as viewers expressed their shock, but it is thought there are more pet tigers in the US alone than there are tigers in the wild.
Tigers, as pets?
It is thought that there are at least 5,000 privately owned tigers in the United States, kept in unlicensed zoos, private breeding facilities and in people’s homes. In many US states, there are no laws preventing ownership of exotic pets, while in other states such laws may not be enforced.
It’s more than live in the wild?
The global tiger population is thought to be around 3,900, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The organisation says that after a century of decline, overall wild tiger numbers are at least stabilising in areas such as India, Nepal, Russia and China, but in some areas - including much of Southeast Asia - they are still in crisis and more still needs to be done.
So what did the video show?
A Twitter user posted a clip of a Bengal tiger wandering around a suburban street in Houston, saying: "There's a tiger loose on my parents' street." The tiger was seen jumping over a back garden fence and roaming over the grassy front lawns.
The police turned up?
An off-duty sheriff arrived with a gun and tried to round up the animal, yelling at the apparent owner to “get your tiger back inside”, which he did. But then, the tiger was bundled into the back of a jeep and driven away. Houston police are still trying to locate the animal.
A man was arrested?
Victor Cuevas was charged with felony evading arrest and fleeing police. The 26-year-old was charged with murder in 2017 and was out on bail. His lawyer said: “My client is not the owner of the tiger.” He added: “There is no crime having a tiger in the state of Texas.”
Texas has a tiger problem?
The Houston prowler is the latest in a long line. In February 2019, a group of pot smokers thought they were hallucinating when they went into an abandoned Houston home to light up and found a caged tiger. It was taken to an animal sanctuary.
It’s not just Houston?
A tiger, named Ming, was found living in a taxi driver’s apartment in Brooklyn in New York in 2003.
In the UK?
It is still technically legal for private citizens to own exotic animals if your local authority grants a specific licence.
Tiger King?
In Netflix's documentary, Tiger King, the bizarre underworld of big cat breeding was explored, featuring Joe Exotic, an infamous collector of tigers now serving a jail sentence for acts of animal cruelty and for plotting to kill his nemesis.
Tyson?
Mike Tyson last year revealed his regret over owning three big tigers as pets admitting it was "foolish, they'd kill you".
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